Article by Kim Chambers

The massive growth in online travel agents and price comparison websites has caused great distress to their more traditional, high street-based competitors. The likes of Thomas Cook and Thomson are being challenged on their home turf by the enormous increase in the amount of cheap flights and budget holiday accommodation easily available on the Internet.

The advent of the credit crunch and the resulting global economic downturn, led to many people looking afresh at their household budget and changing the shopping and leisure habits of a lifetime. Grocery shopping increasingly took place at the cheaper supermarkets and marketing campaigns for the supermarkets changed to reflect this. The holiday habits of UK households changed as well, with people looking to save money without sacrificing their much-needed holidays.

» Read more: High Street Travel Agents Face up to Cheap Flights Found Online